1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a rotating electrical plug assembly and, more particularly, to a low profile rotating electrical plug assembly for use in a volatile material dispenser.
2. Description of the Background of the Invention
Various volatile material dispensers are known in the prior art and generally include a housing with a refill inserted therein. The refill generally includes a container for holding a volatile material therein. In some dispensers, the volatile material is passively emitted therefrom. In other dispensers, a diffusion element is utilized to facilitate the dispensing of the volatile material. Examples of diffusion elements include heaters, piezoelectric elements, fans, aerosol actuators, and the like. Regardless of the manner in which the volatile material is emitted, once the volatile material has been expended from the refill, the refill is removed by a user and replaced with a new refill.
One type of volatile material dispenser, referred to herein as a plug-in scented oil dispenser, includes a housing and a heater disposed within the housing. A refill for use with a plug-in scented oil dispenser generally includes a container with a volatile material therein and a wick in contact with the volatile material and extending out of the refill. Upon insertion of the refill into the dispenser, at least a portion of the wick is disposed adjacent the heater such that volatile material that moves through the wick is volatilized by the heater. The volatile material dispenser typically includes a plug assembly having electrical prongs extending outwardly from the housing. The electrical prongs are inserted into a standard electrical outlet and thereafter supply electrical energy to the volatile material dispenser. Plug-in scented oil dispensers may also utilize a fan to aid in vaporizing and dispersing volatile material.
One of the disadvantages of many of the volatile material dispensers and refills therefore, such as the plug-in scented oil dispenser discussed above, is that the plug assembly and electrical prongs are oriented in such a way so as to be compatible with only a single orientation of the volatile material dispenser with respect to the electrical outlet. For example, the vertical orientation of the electrical prongs with respect to the volatile material dispenser only allows a user of the volatile material dispenser to insert the dispenser in an upright manner into a vertically oriented electrical outlet. The user must rotate the volatile material dispenser in a horizontal manner to insert the volatile material dispenser into a horizontally oriented electrical outlet. Rotation of the dispenser in this manner is undesirable for numerous reasons including, at least, that the volatile material may leak from the dispenser and/or be removed from contact with the wick if the dispenser is disposed in a horizontal position.
A solution has been attempted to try to remedy the aforementioned problems in the form of a rotating plug assembly, which allows the rotation of the electrical prongs on the plug assembly from a vertically oriented position to a horizontally oriented position. The user may then adjust the plug assembly based on the desired orientation, which allows the volatile material dispenser to remain upright, while still receiving electrical energy. However, a further problem is created by the continued rotation of the plug assembly of the present devices utilizing such an assembly. Specifically, strain is created on various portions of the plug assembly during rotation, which causes the plug assembly parts to fatigue over time. The fatigue may lead to loosen wires in the plug assembly that could create unstable connection points between the plug assembly and the wires and render the volatile material dispenser inoperable.
Another disadvantage of many volatile material dispensers, especially those with rotating plug assemblies, is that the mechanical features necessary to allow for rotation of the plug assembly adds bulk in the form of a thicker dispenser. In particular, dispensers with rotating plug assemblies (and even those without) tend to stand a distance off the wall, thereby drawing attention to the dispenser and simply getting in the way. Consumers generally desire dispensers that are compact and unnoticeable, and thus, manufacturers of volatile material dispensers are constantly looking for ways to design smaller volatile material dispensers without sacrificing the quality of the dispenser.